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Cruz, an alumnus of Cal State Fullerton, signed with Sporting Kansas City II in March 2023 after impressing the SKC II coaching staff as a trialist in preseason. The California native moved to Kansas City in 2016 and joined the Sporting KC Academy playing at the U-16 through U-19 levels. In his rookie season with Sporting KC II, Cruz showed out, accumulating five goals and two assists in 19 MLS NEXT Pro starts. He earned a call-up to the first team for their 2023 US Open Cup third-round match with Tulsa Athletic and played 30 minutes in the 3-0 win.
This season, Cruz has three goals and four assists in just seven starts. His 59 minutes in Minnesota proved to be the difference maker as SKC II earned their seventh result in their last eight matches.
Avila started the scoring in the 10th minute, turning over Dom Mawing before dashing for goal and chipping the keeper. The home team responded with a pair of goals to take a one-goal advantage before Cruz evened the score. SKC II’s leading scorer Kamron Habibullah sparked the attack with a clever through ball to Maouloune Goumballe. The rookie selflessly cut the ball back toward the middle of the area where Cruz crushed the ball into the back of the net with his left foot.
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